Wedding Traditions: Cutting the Cake

You know what to eat, but what — if anything — do you say during the cake-cutting ceremony?

Judy Lewis

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The cake-cutting tradition is one that has lasted over time. (It is, after all, the first task that the bride and groom perform jointly as husband and wife!) Distributing pieces of cake to guests dates back to the Roman Empire; however, as the wedding grew, so did the size of the cake, making the distribution process impossible for the bride to undertake on her own.

Cake-cutting became more difficult with early multi-tier cakes, because the icing had to be hard enough to support the cake’s own weight. This helped made cutting the cake a joint project. After the cutting ceremony, the couple proceeds to feed one other from the first slice. This provides another lovely piece of symbolism: the mutual commitment of bride and groom to provide for one another.

A Hudson Valley groom asks:“What am I supposed to say during the cake-cutting ceremony?”

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About This Blog

Tying the knot shouldn't put knots in your stomach, so whether you're the blushing bride, hubby-to-be, or even a wedding guest, The Wedding Guru Judy Lewis can answer all of your wedding-related questions.

This blog hails from HudsonValleyWeddings.com, the one-stop resource for services and products, promotions and specials, a Regional Bridal Show schedule, Wed Shop, and links to money-saving and wedding-related Web sites.